DC United Seeks Answers After 2-0 Loss to Red Bulls

DC United Coach Troy Lesesne is well aware of DC United’s lack of scoring punch in the last few league matches, but remains at a loss to explain why last Saturday’s game against Red Bull saw so few real threats. He mentioned one possibility, “I think some of the crossing that we had in the second half in particular, we have to be a little bit more patient, probably, and maybe we get another number forward, or we can get a couple of our 10s on the ball in some more dangerous areas. But I felt like we were serving too often and too early.”

There was no lack of effort or even skill from the attack during the game. Hosei Kijima was his usual dynamic self, winning several duels to start attacks. Both David Schnegg and Aaron Herrera were effective as wide midfielders/defenders and Boris Enow continued to grow as the central outlet option. Lesesne was correct, the service was ineffective.

About Enow, the coach was optimistic, “I thought Boris was very good tonight. I thought he covered a lot of ground. He had one giveaway late in the game. But other than that, I thought he distributed the ball well and moved the ball quite well. And we should have more performances like that out of him, because that’ll help the group.”

The answer may lie in poor vision by the transitional players or in the lack of positioning of potential targets. The coach commented on the fact that Christian Benteke remains sidelined with injury, “But now we have to figure out how to get our 10s on a little bit more play between the lines a little bit more. And we didn’t do that enough tonight. I thought we did that well the other night. And you know, this is something we need to look at.”

He expressed that some of the problem was effective play by the Red Bulls. “They always press well. They always control second ball moments really well. And I think that they were better than us in those categories, from start to finish.” The game featured generally sharp passing by both sides countered by decent pressing by both as well, a sign of near mid-season form.

As MLS teams continue to sharpen their team play, the decider in many games will be the influence of “personality” players like Benteke. To reach the playoffs a team will require more than one player who can step up and assert himself since a single outstanding player can usually be marked into ineffectiveness. Variety is essential.

We saw the wide attackers for United work inside occasionally to force decisions by the Red Bull defenders, but they too often lost the plot whichever way they went. It wasn’t just crossing too early, it was a lack of effective movement by their teammates. The best strikers find space to allow creators’ to see the right time and place to pass.

Lesene noted, “We too many times didn’t turn them enough tonight. They were able to be comfortable, the center backs for Red Bull.” He clarified, referencing an earlier game, “We were able to turn them, make them face their own goal.” Perhaps some review of the game video followed by some drills about creating and finding space might help, but ultimately the best strikers already have a feel for how for how to read and affect the game.

Turning to the defense, Kye Rowles noted that, ”For tonight, I thought, you know, for large periods of the game, we’re in the match – – – and it’s just moments in a game that where it’s just moments we’re struggling.” Such moments were rare, as the first Red Bull goal resulted from a bad bounce unsettling the defense while the second came as United pressed for the tie.

Overall, the team seemed well coordinated and spirited but lacking the final touch. Let’s see what happens Wednesday night against the New England Revolution.